Desmond Francis Paddy Arahanga was fatally shot, an explosion as the fire broke out at a house in the small township of Waharoa near Matamata

The fire came 20 hours after 28-year-old Matamata man Desmond Francis Paddy Arahanga was fatally shot in a drive-by shooting outside a McGowan St address in Waharoa.Witnesses reported an explosion as the fire broke out at a house in the small township of Waharoa near Matamata on Sunday night. They say a car was seen speeding away from the house.The fire's believed to be in retaliation for the fatal shooting of 28-year-old Desmond Arahanga at the property in the early hours of Sunday.Twenty police are involved in the inquiry.Police are telling the public not to panic following the shooting and was not the result of gang tensions.Detective Inspector Peter Devoy says the 28-year-old victim had earlier been involved in a disagreement at another property in the small community and is asking people in the town to remain calm.Three people are currently being questioned by police in relation to the incident.Devoy says most people in the town know each other and he is confident police will get the information they need to make an arrest.rifle has been found close to one of the addresses connected to yesterday's fatal drive-by shooting in the small Waikato community of Waharoa.Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Nicholls said the rifle was found adjacent to the Hedley St address set ablaze by a suspicious fire about 9pm yesterday.Mr Nicholls said the rifle had been taken away for forensic testing.Both the Hedley St and McGowan St properties had been cordoned off during the day for forensic examination, but Mr Nicholls said the property was signed back to its occupants by 4.10pm and no overnight guard was present when the fire started.
He said a separate investigation team had been set up to make inquiries about the fire.Nicholls also said police did not believe Mr Arahanga's death was a result of gang tensions and called for calm from residents.
"What we are dealing with is a single, very serious incident that has cost someone his life and now what appears to be a retaliatory suspicious fire.
"We would ask again that people make the police aware of any information they have on what occurred, not listen to rumours and speculation, and allow the investigation teams to carry out their enquiries."
Detective Inspector Peter Devoy said it appeared the shooting happened after Mr Arahanga had got into a disagreement with some people when at the Hedley St address.
When he left that property a car approached him and a group of other people outside the McGowan St house and someone from the car fired a volley of shots, a "number of which struck" Mr Arahanga."Driving off, the car has then returned to the McGowan St address a very short time later, pulled up and fired a second volley of shots. No one was injured in this second volley."
About 20 police staff are involved in the investigation, assisted by Auckland-based forensic experts

Posted in: Waharoa near Matamata